Biography of AB De Villiers:- AB De Villiers was born on 17th February, 1984 in Warmbad South Africa. He is one of the best batsmen right now in International cricket. He is one the most dynamic ones right now in International arena.
Also De Villiers is now the fastest century holder in International cricket. Oozing talent from a small age, AB De Villiers is as talented in badminton, golf, tennis, and rugby as well as a cricket player. He opted cricket as suggested by coaches and his father who played for the national rugby team.
Watching him bat is one of the most breath taking sights in International cricket, AB is also known as Mr. 360 in India due to his unique and quick run scoring abilities in Indian Premier League.
Biography of AB De Villiers
- Born:- 17 February 1984 (age 33), Pretoria, South Africa
- Height:- 1.8 m
- Full Name:- Abraham Benjamin de Villiers
- Album:- Maak Jou Drome Waar
- Spouse:- Danielle de Villiers (m. 2013)
Here is a full biography of AB Devilliers, the most successful ODI batsman of South Africa. De Villiers started his first-class cricketing career when he was 18, he was selected for his extraordinary cricketing skills as a wicket keeper-batsman in 2004 when he was 20.
For South Africa, AB is one of the most successful players, as a wicketkeeper, as an opening batsman, and captain. With exceptional fielding skills, he became the only face of India after the great Jonty Rhodes with such outstanding fielding, he is electrifying in every department.
International Career of AB Devilliers
After a successful domestic season for Titans in 2003, he participated as an overseas player in Northern Ireland for a local Irish Club in 2004.
He was selected for Under-19 and later for International side, finally made his Test debut in the last quarter of the year 2004 against England, a strong opposition and a tougher task for a debutant.
With a respectable start to his Test career, DeVilliers was shuffled a bit in the earlier part of his International career but later adjusted to an opening position as he was good there.
In the second match against England, AB opened his account by registering a match saving half century despite batting as a lower order wicket keeper batsman. In the next match, Devilliers was asked to open the innings for Proteas.
He made his first century in the home series with a fine and colorful knock. In 2005, AB De Villiers recorded a successful career builtup by making 460 runs in the tour with a 178-run inning that was an important ton to push South Africa to victory in away series.
He has to handle the gloves this whole time, the dual role disturbed AB De Villiers for a bit especially in 2005 in a tour to Australia with low average struggling against spin in the entiretrip.
The next year was quite amazing for ABD, his ODI career started to flourish in the middle order position, he was furious in a series against India in the later half of 2006. Earlier in 2006, with his batting and fielding skills, AB De Villiers was a heart throb of the South African audience.
The next big challenge was ICC World Cup 2007, and AB De Villiers was a hero of the tournament though South Africa couldn’t make it to the final. AB made his first big performance in the tournament against Australia.
In the Super 8, AB De Villiers scored a blistering 146. Later in the tournament, his cramps and inability to score big despite having chances made him an inferior batsman to convert innings to the match winning ones.
After the World Cup 2007, AB De Villiers developed into a better and mature sportsman. He made his first double century against India, most by any batsman against India. His not out 217 runs inning was followed by another 174-run inning in the next summer series against England at Leeds and a 97-run inning before making it to another century getting out on nervous nineties in the next test.
In 2009, AB De Villiers scored a match-winning hundred to chase 414 runs that too in Aussie backyard, he was fantastic in the whole series, helping Proteas to register their first-ever Test win in the last 15 years.
Along with the exceptional batting skills, he took some brave and stunning catches in the field that reminded South African fans of Jonty Rhodes.
AB De Villiers produced some brilliant shots in the series against mighty Aussies with patient and productive innings, his century against a hostile pace attack led by Mitchell Johnson.
He made 104 not out followed by a controlled 163 runs in the next test match. In the third test against Australia, He smashed four sixes in an over that leveled the record of most sixes in an over in test cricket. In the ODI series, AB De Villiers was named a player of the series for his two 80s and two 30s in a five-match series.
In three matches, AB De Villiers scored two centuries after taking the place of injured Boucher in ODI series against Zimbabwe in 2010. In October 2011, AB De Villiers wasn’t impressive in a T20 series in UAE.
Later in the ODI series, AB De Villiers wasn’t good and couldn’t produce some quality innings for South Africa, he was out on 49 in the fourth match and then a 61-run knock leading South Africa to win ODI series 3-2.
With World Cup hosted by India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, the conditions were most suitable and comfortable for AB De Villier as he was non-stop in IPL seasons.
He scored two consecutive tons in the world cup, with those brilliant knocks, AB became first South African and fifth player to do so.
AB De Villiers after 2011 World Cup
After ICC World Cup 2011, a new era started for South Africa in ODIs and Test Cricket. The South African team was stronger than ever with a balanced batting and bowling build up. The first challenge was home series against Kangaroos and Lankan Tigers.
In a series against Australia, AB De Villiers was named a man of the series for his 160 not out inning and an average of 117 in three Test matches. In the same season, AB De Villiers was appointed as captain of the national team.
AB De Villiers stats and records after he was handed the leadership role were quite impressive. AB De Villiers as a captain, South Africa defeated Sri Lanka by 258 runs, highest ever win margin by any International team in ODIs in 2012. DeVilliers was named a player of the series for the second time in the season and two times in a row.
He averages 110 in the series against Sri Lanka. Keeping in view, his staggering knocks and exaltedstature as a leader, South African cricket board appointed him as a full-time captain of South Africa on July 2012.
The year 2013 started with world records for Devilliers, AB De Villiers records were updated by his 11 dismissals behind the stumps in a single test match and scoring a century in the same match.
When Pakistan toured South Africa in March 2013, AB De Villiers made a partnership record of 238 for the third wicket with Hashim Amla. Devilliers contributed 128 to the partnership.
AB De Villiers made the fastest century in ODIs off 31 deliveries against West Indies beating Shahid Afridi and Corey Anderson by a margin of 7 balls and 6 balls respectively.
He was one of the top run-scorers of ICC World Cup 2015. Collectively, AB De Villiers was a destructive and brutal hitter for the whole tournament.
He averaged 96 with a strike rate of 144 and 482 runs. In a match against West Indies in World Cup, South Africa made their biggest total in the first inning of ODI cricket, AB also became the only player to score a fastest 100, 50, and 150 in ODI cricket.
After losing to New Zeland in the semifinals, AB De Villiers was the third highest run-scorer in the tournament. AB De Villiers is number one in ODIs since 2015, he is also the captain of the South African test team.
IPL Career of AB De Villiers
For the first few seasons of Indian Premier League, AB was sold to Delhi Daredevils. He was consistent with fielding and batting skills. After 2012, AB De Villiers became a permanent member of Royal Challengers Bangalore opening the innings for Royal Challengers. In the first season playing for RCB, he amassed 319 runs in 16 matches at an average of 40.
The year 2015 was a huge success for AB Devilliers, he scored 513 runs in 16 games batting alongside Virat Kohli most of the times, and his highest score was 133 not out in the 2015 season averaging 46.63 at a strike rate of 175.
In the recent 2016 season, AB De Villiers was even more impressive with an average of 56.83 and a strike rate of 170. His highest score was 129 not out in the season, his two centuries and six half-centuries made it an easy path to IPL final before collapsing against Sun Risers Hyderabad in the final.
AB De Villiers Family and Personal Life
AB De Villiers was born on 17th February, 1984 in Warmbad South Africa. His father was a part-time sportsman, a national level rugby player and a doctor by profession. AB De Villiers married Danielle Swart, his girlfriend from Capetown on 30th March 2013.
AB De Villiers wife and son Abraham junior currently live in Capetown, South Africa. De Villiers is a Christian and a fan of Manchester United Football Club.
